Globalisation aiding outbreak, spread of disease across borders -Health Minister

The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, has identified globalisation as a key factor leading to outbreak,threats and spread of disease across national borders.

While calling for urgent collaborative response, Adewole who spoke as a Guest lecturer at the National Institute of Security Studies, Usuma Dam, Abuja explained that public health threats are many, diverse, multiplying and moving faster beyond borders as well as presenting new challenges.

Speaking on the topic:Globalization of Public Health Implication for National Security, Adewole said that global health, according to Institute of Medicine is ‘’ health problems, issues and concerns that transcend national boundaries, may be influenced by circumstances or experiences in other countries and are best addressed by cooperative actions and solutions”.

The Minister also disclosed that Public Health emergencies could affect the psychological well-being of a population, affect social activities and social unrest like the 2017 Monkeypox outbreak and vaccination rumour which affected educational activities in some parts of the country and the orphans created by the increasing mortality of HIV/AIDS which could lead to youths involvement in crime.

In this light, Adewole stressed that Public Health disasters, if not properly managed, could expose the country to increased level of attacks small scale (petty stealing) to large scale (terrorism), challenge a country’s security by exerting enormous pressure on the country’s economy and severely affect national defense.

Harping on the Public Health National Security linkage, the Minister maintained that Infectious diseases and Public Health were National Security issues as well as a worldwide problem; therefore, every country such as Nigeria must be at alert.

He warned that no blood sample should be allowed to be taken out of the country under any guise and all security agencies needed to be interested in Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), share intelligence amongst themselves; give attention to capacity building and collaborate with each other.

Adewole further called for adequate strengthening of public health preparedness, planning and timely response as they were ultimate goals to minimize global public health threats.

He also appealed for appropriate funding which he said remained the panacea for a safe country adding that Federal Ministry of Health and her agencies were ready to be partners in progress.

In her remarks, the Director, Medical services, Institute of Security Studies (ISS), National Headquarters, Dr. Ann Okorafor, appreciated the minister for his unflinching support to the Institute and making out time to lecture the 57 participants of Intelligent Management course, syndicate two, drawn from 53 strategic agencies in the country.

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